Returning Old Symptoms : bouncing on bed, hyperactivity in the evening, diminished speech( always happens during a clearing), noise sensitivity, pushing on lower abdomen, rash on buttocks, bed wetting Note: all of the old symptoms listed are with less severity

Significant Positive Behaviors: coloring and drawing with concentration for longer periods of time, drawings with more detail, imaginative play ie: placing her dolls her bed and tucking them in, using action figures to act out stories

Lizzy has tolerated her Varicella 30C clearing without too much difficulty. The most significant change we see is her hyperactivity at night. It starts at about 7pm and continues until 11pm or so. This is better than last week when she was up till 2am. Our little girl does not want to go to sleep. I thought maybe it was something in her diet but no matter what she ingests, she is still hyper. Must be part of what she is experiencing now. She was doing the same thing before we started the Cuprum and the Varicella. Thankfully it is nowhere near what it was before. Her sleep issues are 90% better than when we started with CEASE.

Our latest approach with this is getting Lizzy to exercise more. I am not sure how to facilitate this need, just started researching it. My goal is to get her body moving in order to help her brain function plus it will tire her out. God knows I could benefit from more exercise so our entire family is going to get in on it. Between all of us we are going to take turns with her each day and get more active in a different way. Plus it can’t hurt the other kids. I bet it will help them concentrate more in school and sleep better. Being on a shoe string budget I found some exercises on You Tube to help improve brain function so we will start there. We do not have any money for personal trainers or classes so we are figuring it out ourselves. Thank God I am on this journey with the help of the internet. I can’t imagine how much longer it would take to do this otherwise. Thank you God.

My attempt to observe Lizzy at the playground was rained out and we will have to try again next week while on 200C. Today was wonderful outside but I could not get her to the same playground as the last time. She is very eager to go play at the nearby school and I think we will have a great session today. I was not with her today so you decide. Check out the pics at the end of the blog and see for yourself.

Lizzy did not join us at church today due to her sleeping in. I do not wake her unless I have to. She is just like her mama and big bro Ian. We are not pleasant when we are awakened too early. Hopefully she will join us next week. It is the mood du jour with her and that’s okay with us. It wasn’t always this easy to understand. Like anything it took time, and I am so grateful for where we are now. Thanks to Lizzy’s ND and DO she is moving forward. They are awesome healers! We have had so much success to date and I feel it will only get better. It just takes time.

I hope and pray that all families dealing with autism have the patience, understanding, strength and perserverance they need to keep going.

Lizzy started her chicken pox vaccine clearing today and has been doing pretty well so far. We have not had any meltdowns and it looks like this 30C clearing might do it’s thing with out too much of an upheaval. Time will tell.

Here is an example of her latest artwork. Our little girl can not get enough of balloons. This version has a different feel and she is doing them very quickly and without too much effort. I find this very encouraging. The way she holds the marker and the fact that she is not switching hands constantly anymore is very encouraging. She is left-handed for sure. Whether it be eating, writing, reaching for toys, shaking hands, she uses her left hand. Out of a household of 11 peeps she is the only one to use her left hand.

Lizzy, Willy, Howard, Amelia and I went to our church play yard yesterday and Lizzy had a blast! As you can see, she was using the telescope and engaging in imaginative play again. YES!!! This is always encouraging for me. Lizzy played like any other little kid. Note: this is before the CEASE dose she received today.

I am going to take her to the same place at the same time tomorrow to see if her behavior is any different while on the clearing. You never know what you can learn. I plan to observe her with and without the remedy this time with more accuracy. I plan to put her in the exact location and situation and see if there are any notable differences in her behavior, appearance, etc. We’ll see what happens.

Lizzy is still very hyper at night and not willing to stay in bed. Hopefully this will change for the better this week. If not, I better put on my armor of patience and deal with it. Lately she is up until 2 am. This is not bad in comparison to the past, but Howard and Katie are waking up early. So needless to say, I am not getting much sleep. We all know, Mama bear needs her sleep. If not, her fangs and claws will come out, and I have been told by many that it is not a pretty sight. So I better fix it NOW!

I took my Kali Carb 30C remedy again today. I needed it. The lack of sleep and my back pain was too much. So after a nap and the remedy I am ready to go again. Thanks to Ian, Amelia and Martin for the nap. They held down the fort while I slept for a few hours. There is nothing like good sleep. Thanks guys, you are the best!

Tomorrow is another day. With God’s help we will have more sleep, change, growth and progress. Until then, I wish you all sweet dreams.

Returning Old Symptoms : bouncing on bed, hyperactivity in the evening, licking of her fingers Note: all of the old symptoms listed are with less severity

Significant Positive Behaviors: speech clarity, reading more on her own, singing with clarity on her own, expressing her true self, performing daily tasks on her own, coloring and drawing with concentration for longer periods of time

We met with Lizzy’s ND/Homeopath and we discovered she will be needing Cuprum 30C as her Saturday remedy and her next CEASE clearing will be Varicella (chicken pox). Our ND feels that this clearing will not be as lengthy as the others we have done in the past. Hopefully this chicken pox clearing will go quickly so we can keep going on detoxing her system.

The last three days with Lizzy have been very difficult. She is whinny, obstinate and stubborn. The 100 minute trip (each way) to the ND Tuesday was an absolute drag. Lizzy was unhappy no matter what you gave her. By the time we arrived at the doctor’s office we were all crispy critters. Our ND noticed how Lizzy was behaving and commented how different she was from the last visit. We have never gone 72 days without a remedy before. Boy did it show. We milked the last MMR dose and that was the plan from the beginning. Little did I know there was more to it.

After we finished with Lizzy it was my turn. Todd took her outside the office and I began to tell our ND what was going on with me. My dear cousin had passed away and the grief had a delayed reaction. My back was so painful I could hardly move. Our ND inquired further and realized that my back pain and Lizzy’s outbursts started on the same day. She was picking up on my tension and grief. Oh man!

I was given Kali Carb 30C and my back is slowly getting better. Amazing what one’s emotions can do to the body. My cousin’s death was a blow that I did not feel at first. I was numb about it. As news of his scheduled memorial arrived I started to feel it big time. He was not only my cousin, he was my friend. I loved him like a brother. Before he got ill we talked frequently on the phone. He would make me laugh down to my toes. He was a sweet, generous, witty man who I will miss terribly.

I had just finished nailing my grief of the past on the cross and now I have a new one. Through time and prayer this will be okay. I firmly believe it. The kids and I are going to have our own memorial service for my cousin. We might do it on Thanksgiving day. I am very grateful that I was allowed to share in his life. Thanksgiving will be the perfect day to remember that.

Lizzy had her Cuprum 30C at 2p.m.. Wednesday the 16th. Within 1 hour there was a big change in her and me. The Kali Carb is really helping my back and my emotions. A dear friend of mine always says, “When the Mom is unhappy, the whole house is unhappy.” He is right. We as moms do not want to manipulate the entire household but it happens nonetheless. Lizzy and I are getting better and hopefully by next Monday we will be ready for the chicken pox clearing.

Lizzy is very happy and smiles with all she’s got. She comes up to me, smiles and says, “Hello Baby”. I answer back and she gives me a hug. Very cute indeed! Today (Sat. 11/19) Lizzy is very verbal and her fits are practically gone. She did start to fuss this morning and I asked her to stop. I proceeded to tell her that she does not need to scream in order to get what she wants. I reminded her to speak to us and we all know she can do it. She looked up towards the ceiling and sighed. The rest of the day went well. She communicated very well and was willing to take correction without any fuss or meltdowns. Thank God!!

12 2010 Big difference

For example, Lizzy has the habit of jumping down from her chair during mealtime and wanders off to do her own thing. I stopped her and reminded her that she has to ask to be excused from the table just like her siblings. I escorted her back to her chair and reminded her that she has to say “May I be excused please.” Again, she looked up and paused. I repeated the phrase again and gently placed her hands on the side of my face as I said it. “Can you feel that Lizzy? Just say it and you can get down from your chair.” Gabriel repeated the phrase also. She sat still and said, “May I be excused please?” YES!!!!!! We all cheered, clapped and gave her kisses. Sporting a big smile she skipped off. Cuprum 30C is doing its thing. I love when she does this stuff. It makes the few days prior worth it. Thank you God!

Some may think that my insistence with Lizzy is not important. I disagree. Lizzy’s siblings need to see that she is held accountable for her actions also. Would I ask this of her when she is not feeling well? No. When she is feeling better I do it for her benefit and her siblings. Lizzy’s brothers and sisters need to see her being called on the same things they are. Everyone is equal. When the other kids do not feel well they are exempt from chores, school and the like. I must try to keep things as fair as possible. Plus Lizzy’s younger siblings need to see that certain behaviors will not be tolerated. This is especially true for 2-year-old Katie. She is one strong-willed little girl. The last thing she needs is any encouragement regarding disobedience.

Lizzy’s autism is not a get out of jail free card. She can learn, do, speak and participate now more than ever. We keep all of our kids capabilities in mind and ask things of them that work within that parameter. It was hard to learn when to do this and when not to. Not to mention, I am more at peace with Lizzy’s autism than I was before. One’s broken heart leads to a lot of concessions also. You just feel bad for your baby and their plight. Todd is still having to stop himself. His little “Gal Pal” can still wrap him around her finger from time to time. All in good time. He spends less time with the kids than I get to. He is not privy to what they can do like I am. And how could he be? The poor guy is always working his parts off.

5 2011

Lizzy’s sister Amelia is having a very rough time with Lizzy again. Amelia would rather do things for Lizzy instead of encouraging her to try. Amelia is impatient. While Amelia openly shared with Lizzy how she did not like her behavior Lizzy told her the same thing she told me. Wait, wait, wait. Amelia can’t wrap her heart around her words yet. She wants her back NOW! Lizzy’s autism is a still a very painful part of Amelia’s life. We talk about it often, but grief is a process. I hope and pray that the two of them will get closer again soon. I too have to wait.

Now that Lizzy and I are back on track, I hope for a calm Sunday. Her dad will be working a lot before the holiday so hopefully she will do well and we can enjoy next weeks festivities. Through the grace of God it will happen and we will have more wonderful news to share. I am still very confident in Lizzy’s ND, CEASE therapy and homeopathy. I feel that we are on the right track and it is just a matter of cleaning up the mess and freeing our baby of these toxins.

Returning Old Symptoms : bouncing on bed, pulling on mucus from her nose when crying, hyperactivity in the evening, noise sensitivity, bed wetting

Significant Positive Behaviors: speech clarity, reading more on her own, singing with clarity on her own, expressing her true self, performing daily tasks on her own, coloring and drawing with concentration for longer periods of time

Lizzy has been doing well and we will be meeting with her ND tomorrow. We are still flying without any remedies or CEASE clearings at this point. Lizzy’s willingness to communicate and express herself is very encouraging at this time. She has been using her utensils while eating and specifically stating what she wants. While eating the other night she requested, “More beef please.” Plus, she asked for a potato. When Amelia started to cut up her potato Lizzy stated calmly “I don’t want it like that.” Lizzy wanted it cut in half so she could pull out the contents herself. VERY COOL! This is the stuff I love to see and hear. Our little girl is working her way back from the abyss.

Lizzy has been doing more drawing lately and here is her latest masterpiece. We

Lizzy's Rabbit 11 4 2011

painted two walls in our hallway with chalkboard paint and she goes to town. This also helps me when homeschooling the other kids. Lots of space and no worries if they decide to run off with the chalk.

Lizzy has been having some bouts with impatience and I am very excited to see that her true personality is coming out. For example, I placed my hand on her back to lead her upstairs from the basement and she told me ” Get your hand off of me.” I reminded her not to talk to people like that, I reminded her to use the word please, and she repeated the same statement with a please. Very cool indeed!! The toxins that invaded her body almost seven years ago are being purged and our baby girl is on her way. Thank you God!!

Many of you are aware of the power outages last week and Lizzy did very well considering the fact that she could not use the pc or dvd player for 2 days. During the blackout she asked me, “Scooby Doo?” I told her that the power was out and she had to wait. She proceeded to say, “Scooby Doo dvd?” I repeated myself again and she asked for the third time, “Scooby Doo dvd please?” I answered her and she accepted the answer and went straight to bed. No fuss, no muss.

This week Lizzy has been cranky, wetting her bed, taking off her clothes and noise sensitive. She is nowhere near where she was years ago. Thank God for that. I am very anxious to get her on the next clearing and or remedy. It has been a very long time since we have given her anything besides cell salts and her recent behavior is an indication that she is ready to start a new phase of her recovery. Onward and upward.

10 28 2011 Nailing it on the cross

As for Todd and myself, I mentioned in a past blog that our pastor wanted to help me with all the emotions I have been dealing with. Lizzy’s autism was at the top of my list. After praying about it we decided to give it all to Christ and take part in redemption ceremony with both of our pastors. We decided to have the ceremony on 10 28 2011 which was our 21st wedding anniversary. A perfect day for a new beginning and reminding each other how much we mean to one another.

We began with the redemption ceremony in order to remove all of the baggage Todd and I have been carrying around for the past 21 years of our marriage. We made a list of all the sins, pains, grief, bad decisions, what have you, on

Todd, Amy and Pastor Jodi 10 28 2011

pieces of paper and literally nailed them on the cross. We gave them all to Christ. It was the most moving experience I have ever had. I was nailing so hard that my pastor had to remind me to take it easy. I wanted to make sure that mine stayed there and the feeling of hammering all of that junk felt wonderful. After nailing our notes, our pastor removed them and burned them in a vessel. It was so powerful. Not only the nailing and burning but the process of reliving those thoughts for a couple of days prior to the ceremony was very cathartic. It changed my life.

I was doing a Tammy Faye Baker impersonation the whole time. Crying like crazy, mascara running and my heart pounding I gave it all to Christ. Lizzy’s autism, vaccines and anything I could think of during my entire life that caused me to be upset. They were all given to Him. I am free. Through the grace of God Todd and I are starting anew with Christ as the leader of our marriage and our lives. No longer a duo, now a trio.

Since that day, everything makes sense. All of the emotions that were clogging our thoughts were eliminated. I do not have anything to toil over or occupy my thoughts when I am alone. I still have the problems but not the sorrow and worry. All nine of our kids joined in the ceremony along with my mom and her boyfriend. It was miraculous. The power of God is awesome!

Todd and Amy 10 28 2011

Lizzy did pretty well until she saw the bread for communion. That was enough for her to start saying “Bread, bread, bread.” Even with all that going on I was focusing on God’s presence and my wonderful husband. That is exactly what life is like. No matter what, there is always something to distract you. I just need to keep my heart and mind on Christ. Through Him I can deal with it all. Autism included. Will I be perfect? No way! But I am going to try my hardest. One funny thing Lizzy said towards the end was “Three”. Was she referring to Christ, Todd and myself? We might never find out. But it made my heart smile and my soul sing.

I pray that Lizzy will continue to heal and become the person that God intended for her to be. After all, her name in Elizabeth which means consecrated to God. And that is exactly what I am going to remember. She and her 8 siblings belong to Him. Through Him they will all reach their full potential for His glory. It is just a matter of time, patience and love.

We are very excited about Lizzy starting her new round of CEASE next week. Hopefully, we will have more new wonderful things to share. My prayers go out to all families dealing with autism. May God grant us the strength to persevere and triumph over all challenging aspects of this condition.